I'm joining our local women's roller derby team and looking for a pair of less expensive, yet durable Vegan skates. The only ones I have been able to find are the Riedell 265 Divine's and they are $450, which is out of my price range. Anyone know of any other Vegan skates that would work for less? Does anyone have derby experience? If so, could I just start out with a lesser pair and maybe work my way up to the better skates? Thanks in advance for your feedback!

_________________Go gentle unto the night, children. For the flouncin' hat is sure to unflatter even the finest face ~ PandacookieGet with the times, nameless fourth banana ~Tofulish

I am going to try out for the newly formed Iron Mountain Roller Girls. Hopefully, I will make it on the team. Are the R3's vegan? I would hate to buy non-vegan but I can't afford $450 for skates. I have learned my lesson in buying down. You get what you pay for, unfortunately...

_________________Go gentle unto the night, children. For the flouncin' hat is sure to unflatter even the finest face ~ PandacookieGet with the times, nameless fourth banana ~Tofulish

Also, toe guards will help protect the R3s from getting scuffed up from falling drills. The cap kind are better than the strip kind. I haven't looked that hard, but I've only ever seen leather ones for sale. It would be easy to fashion a pair out of canvas or duct tape or something, though.

Sweet! I just heard that some skates won't even get you through one season of derby and practice and I didn't want to have to buy a pair and then turn around and buy yet another pair, which would cost as much as buying a good pair in the first place. I am excited. My skills are ok right now, but I am going to skate my asparagus off in the next 2 months to get ready...at least I hope some of my booming asparagus is skated off.

_________________Go gentle unto the night, children. For the flouncin' hat is sure to unflatter even the finest face ~ PandacookieGet with the times, nameless fourth banana ~Tofulish

I have been using and abusing my R3's for about 3 years now and finally they are falling apart. i just have not had the money to replace them but i love these skates and their boots. ( I skate anywhere from 3 to 5 times a week.)

I totally recommend them. Cheap investment see if your going to stick with the sport first. Plus their more like cushy sneakers then other skates that can give you ankle blisters from rubbing. '

i wouldn't use those skates for derby. they are an artistic boot, which means they are cut over the ankle as well as having a heel in the back. this is your first post on this board, i am suspicious do you work for moxi?

I'm going to also chime in and say go for Riedell R3s. I still wear mine, but make sure you get toe guards. The street hates my I know two people with Divine's - one was a wobbly new girl last I met her, but she loved them. The other is a seasoned skater who hated the toe stop on them. Almost everyone else in my league used R3's. Once you're used to derby skating you can change your bearings and wheels and you'll have no problems for at least a year or two as long as you treat your skates well.

reviving this thread. give me your updates. i need derby skates. what do you recommend?

_________________The above has probably offended you. I have found it impossible to post to these forums without offending someone. I have preemptively said 25 hail seitans in the hope that I may appease the ppk gods and not be smote from these boards.

I *believe* that Bont is coming out with an affordable new skate package that is made of microfiber. I also think that you can get any of their leather boots made semi custom with microfiber for only $30 extra. Unfortunately the microfiber isn't that tough (which is important for derby), so it's pretty important to tape up those boots. Also you can get Antiks custom made vegan for an extra $90, but the boots are already super expensive so the price is up there (I think almost $500!). Riedell builds Antik skates, so it's probably the same material as the Divine.